Abbas wins EU backing for Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem

Thomson Reuters

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's foreign policy chief assured President Mahmoud Abbas at a meeting in Brussels on Monday that the EU supported his ambition to have East Jerusalem as capital of a Palestinian state.

Abbas in return repeated his call for East Jerusalem as capital as he urged the EU member nations to recognize a state of Palestine immediately, arguing that this would not disrupt negotiations with Israel on a peace settlement for the region.

Mogherini, in what appeared to be a veiled reference to U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel, called on those involved in the process to speak and act "wisely", with a sense of responsibility.

Abbas made no reference to Trump's move on Jerusalem or to comments on the issue made on Monday in Jerusalem by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence.

(Reporting by Alastair Macdonald; @macdonaldrtr; editing by Philip Blenkinsop)

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